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The PS5 is almost impossible to find. That was the case during pre-orders; that was the case at launch; and I anticipate that will be the case long after Christmas. While stocks could stabilize by the end of January, it is very likely that we will have to wait a few more months before you can walk into any electronics store and buy Sony’s newest console.
The good news is that you don’t really need a PS5 right now, at least if you have a PS4 or a similar gaming system. However, while I don’t recommend leaving everything for a PS5 just yet, the fact is that the PS4 is on the verge of disappearing and console gamers will have to upgrade sooner or later. If now is not the right time to buy a PS5, when will it be?
While each person’s individual case will vary somewhat, we can try to determine the “best” time to buy a PS5 based on three main factors: game selection, hardware, and price. And of course, if you really want a PS5, the best time to buy one is “as soon as i can find a resupply. ”
PS5 Game Selection: What’s Coming When
Everyone has a different threshold when it comes to “how many games does a system worth?” For some people, a systems vendor is enough (that systems vendor is Demon’s Souls, by the way); for others, a dozen exclusive titles may be the threshold, because why upgrade any other way?
I don’t think there is a right or wrong approach here, but I will say that my own rule of thumb is “three games I can’t get on any other system.” Right now, the PS5 doesn’t meet that criteria. It has only two true exclusive titles, Astro’s Playroom and Demon’s Souls, and one of them technically came out on the PS3 more than a decade ago.
My own rule of thumb for buying a new console is that you need “three games that I can’t get on any other system.” Right now, the PS5 doesn’t meet that criteria.
Looking ahead to the next few months, we’re slated to get Returnal, Deathloop, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart in the first half of 2021. We have more nebulous release dates for other exclusives, like God of War Ragnarok, Ghostwire: Tokyo, and Final Fantasy. XVI, but at least it is possible that they will come out in 2021.
Then there’s also the issue of cross-generation games, like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Yakuza: Like a Dragon. While these games work well on the PS4, there is a good chance that cross-generation games will start to favor next-gen consoles sooner rather than later. We’ve already started to see this disparity with titles like Cyberpunk 2077, and the performance differences are likely to become even more noticeable as time goes on.
Based on the PS5 exclusives we have right now, as well as the ones we’re scheduled to get in the coming months, it seems that March 2021 would be the time to start seriously considering a purchase; by June, there should be no real reason to wait.
PS5 bugs and issues
One of the reasons I discourage buying consoles at launch is because of hardware issues. They are not always present, but when they are, they are often extremely difficult to fix. Think Xbox 360’s Red Ring of Death, or even more recently, the PS5 onslaught with unsolvable sleep mode issues.
Even if a problem does not harm your system, early versions of the console are often not optimized. Consider the Nintendo Switch poor battery life at launch, or the PS5 considerable variation in fans and, consequently, fan noise.
These issues resolve over time, although it’s hard to say exactly how long this could take, especially since new hardware issues can emerge as the months progress. Remember: the Red Ring of Death problem didn’t get worse until almost two years after its initial release.
So should you wait a full two years before buying a PS5? By then, could there be a smaller and / or cheaper redesign? Well maybe, I’m not a huge fan of the current look of the PS5. But it’s also worth remembering that Red Ring was an anomaly among gaming consoles, and these systems are usually pretty solid.
My recommendation would be to give it six months to see if any additional issues arise and see how Sony addresses those issues. While there is nothing inherently instructive about this time period, it is at least long enough to measure system performance in the real world and see if anything comes up. That would put the “ideal” time to buy a PS5 in May 2021, just as your library of games will become more robust.
PS5 Price: Will It Go Down?
If you’re delaying a PS5 purchase because you’re expecting a price cut, I’ve got bad news: consoles rarely drop in price during their first year on the market. Maybe if you hang on until next Christmas you can get some kind of discounted bundle, but it’s probably a bundle set or an additional controller, not a decisive price difference.
As such, the standard PS5 is most likely to remain at $ 500 in 2021, and the PS5 digital edition will likely remain at $ 400. (It is possible, of course, that the Digital Edition turns out to be much less popular than its counterpart. disk-enabled, in which case Sony might discount the smaller device even more. But at least for the moment, it’s impossible to keep either model in stock.)
While it’s a bit of an evasive answer, it’s also true: the PS5’s price is unlikely to change in 2021, so it shouldn’t really sway your decision one way or another. If you want a more substantial price break, you will have to wait until 2022 or later.
When to buy PS5: Outlook
Since price is not an issue and game selection is largely dependent on personal taste, I’d say the earliest time to buy a PS5 is March 2021, and you can wait until May or June if you really want to get started. Of course, you can try to find one sooner, but you may find yourself climbing a wall dealing with inconsistent restocks and greedy resellers.
Alternatively, you can wait another year and see if the price drops. If 2022 rolls around and you still can’t find a PS5, something has gone terribly wrong.
